Ptolemaic-era jar sold at Christie’s for £2016

CAIRO – 13 July 2022: Christie's Auctions in London announced the sale of an Egyptian basalt jar mortar from the Ptolemaic era [305-30 BC], at a price of £2016.

Christie's Auctions had offered the jar made of basalt, with an estimated price starting from £1,000 to £2,000, pointing out that it was part of the possessions of a Belgian group, and is characterized by its cylindrical shape and double handles. Its height is 10.7 cm.

The Ptolemaic jar sold at Christie's - social media

The Ptolemaic jar sold at Christie's - social media

The auctions house indicated that it is possible that the Guérin Collection was the initial owner of the Egyptian piece, until the last owner acquired it in 2015, and then put it up for sale.

It is noteworthy that Egypt became part of the Macedonian Empire after the victory of Alexander the Great over the Persian king Dara III in 332 BC.

After the death of Alexander in 323 BC and the division of his legacy from provinces between his leaders, Egypt came to the rule of Ptolemy I (Soter), who made Egypt an independent kingdom known as the Ptolemaic State.

Ptolemy I completed the construction of the new capital of Egypt - Alexandria. He also began building the Lighthouse of Alexandria and gathered all of the Egyptian and Greek priests in order to establish a new creed that united the Egyptians and the Greeks together.

During the reign of his successor, Ptolemy II, arts and sciences flourished, and the ancient Library of Alexandria was established, which was the largest libraries of the ancient world.

This led to the influx of Greek scientists and thinkers to Egypt, increased cultural pluralism and merged the civilization of the new Greeks with the ancient Egyptian civilization.